Subscribe to Big Island Video News (FREE)

HILO, Hawaiʻi - After two years of behind the scenes meetings, Mayor Harry Kim and a "core committee" have completed a vision for Maunakea, which also contains a set of recommended initiatives.

(BIVN) – Two years after taking office as Hawaiʻi County Mayor, Harry Kim has completed his “Vision for Maunakea” after holding multiple meetings and assembling a core committee.

Mayor Kim invited Big Island Video News to his Hilo office in order to share the finished vision statement, which reads:

Vision for Maunakea

MAUNAKEA to be a symbol of the Native Hawaiian culture: past, present and future – a cultural and natural treasure. This is about the protection and preservation of the historical and cultural specialness of this land, the most precious and beautiful of places and its people.

A central theme of Maunakea should be of the native Hawaiians’ exploration of the ocean to the discoveries of the universe. Hawaiians understood how the world was connected from the mountain to the sea. They explored the ocean and learned about the heavens to guide them. They believe that this majestic mountain is the earth’s connecting point to the rest of the universe. This is about the mountain being part of their soul. This is about the mountain bringing people together.

This is about what Maunakea can be for the world:

Maunakea to be a symbol of nations working together for the pursuit of peace and harmony, a beacon of hope and discovery for the world. This is not just about science. It is about combining culture and science. It is about respect and caring. It is about a quest for knowledge that will make us a better people and better stewards of this world.

Maunakea to be a symbol of native Hawaiian heritage and the inseparability of nature and culture.

Maunakea to be a recognition of a deeply painful history of intrusions on the First Nation of Hawai’i, which today are reflected in issues such as Maunakea.

IT WAS SO WISELY SAID:

“THE WORLD WILL TURN TO HAWAI’I AS THEY SEARCH FOR WORLD PEACE BECAUSE HAWAI’I HAS THE KEY…AND THAT KEY IS ALOHA.”

– AUNTY PILAHI PAKI

Maunakea to be a symbol for the world of a Cosmopolitan people (“people of the world”) where diversity is respected and celebrated.

Maunakea to be a model of science and of culture going forward.

Maunakea to be an opportunity for the gift of aloha to be presented to the world.

The statement included several “initiatives”, with the following statement underlined:

Convene a core group representing different interests and expertise to provide direction and guidance in developing these initiatives